Door latch



Jan 6, 1931. P. w. SULLIVAN 1,737,707

DOOR LATCH Filed March 29, 1929 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Jan. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v IEIElIBlIBIY W. SULLIVAN, 01' SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE STUIOEBAKEB CORPORATION, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY noon LATCH Application fil ed March 29, 1929. Serial No. 350,895. g

This invention relates to door latch operating handles and particularly to the means for mounting the handle in the vehicle body and the mounting of the escutcheon members forming a part of the door operating handle assembly. The principal object of this invention is to provide a rotatable latch operating handle having spring controlled means for maintaining the handle in its predetermined inoperative position. A further object is to provide escutcheon members surrounding the spindle of the door operating handle which are maintained in position by means of the spring utilized to return the handle to its predetermined inoperative position..

A further obJect is to provide the spindle of the door operating handle with slots therein for guiding and receiving one of the escutcheon members and positioning thesame relative to the second escutcheon member.

The above being among the objects of the present invention the same consists of cer- 26 tain features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and then claimed having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment of my present invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the latch operating handle mounted in a door, certain parts being in section to more clearly show the invention.

on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the latch operating handle in full line.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the two escutcheon members in full telescoped position.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, showing the means for preventing the rotation of the escutcheon members relative to the door operating handle.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the latch operating spindle with the slots formed therein.

Referring in detail to the drawing in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, I have shown Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken for-the purpose of illustration a section of a motor vehicle door comprising a face panel 1 having 1138, free edge 2 reversely bent at 3 to provide a support for an L-shaped plate 4: as is shown in Figure 1. The latch operating handle 5 is provided with a spindle 6 adapted to be inserted through an opening 7 formed in the panel 1, the spindle 6 being threaded at 8 to receive the nut 9 threaded thereon and held in position by the plate 10 secured to the panel 1 and the cap 11 welded or otherwise secured thereto. In assembling the latch operating handle in the vehicle door, the spindle 6 is inserted through the opening 7 in the panel. 1 and the nut 9 is threaded on the threaded portion 8 of the spindle 6 to bringthe handle to the desired position relative to the door.

The-spindle 6 is provided with a transversely extending slot 12 extending entirely around the circumference of the same and a second slot l3 spaced from the slot 12 extendingsubstantially 90 degrees around the spindle 6, the slots 12 and 13 being connected with the longitudinally extending slot 14.

The escutcheon member 15 is adapted to be I applied on they spindle 6 and abut against the stop 16 formed on the handle 5. A second escutcheon member 17 is also mounted on the spindle 6 and is adapted to telescope within the'member 15. The escutcheon member17 is provided with a flange 18 having an opening 19 therein adapted ,to receive one end 20 of the spring 21 which has its opposed end 22 adapted to be positioned in a hole 23 formed in the spindle 6. The flange 18 of the escutcheon plate member-17 has a pair of .opposed lugs 24, as shown in Figure 4, which are adapted to be received in notches 25 formed in the face panel l-to thus prevent the member 17 from rotating with the handle 5 when the same is inthe position shown in Figures 1 and 2. The member 17 is also provided with a projection or lug 26 on the flange 18 thereof which is adapted to ride in the slots 12 and 13 which will be hereinafter described. 1

In assemblying the door handle and the escutcheon members the members 15 and 17 having the spring 21 interposed therebetween are mounted on the spindle 6 with the projection 26 on the flanged portion 18 of the member 17 riding in the slot 12 as is shown in Figure 3. When in this position the spring 21 is held under compression so that the end 20 thereof is out of contact with the face panel 1. With the escutcheon members in this position the handle 5 is threaded through the opening 7 formed in the face plate 1 and the threaded portion 8 of the spindle 6 is threaded into the nut 9 to properly position the handle relative to the door. After the spindle 6 has been threaded into the nut 9 as heretofore described, the escutcheon member 17 is moved to the position so that the lug 26 is adapted to ride in the slot 14 until the same is moved to the slot 13 when the members 17 will be rotated relative to the spindle 6 so that the end 20 of the spring 21 will be moved to the position to be inserted in the opening 27 formed in the face plate 1 as is clearly shown in Figure 2. When moved to the position just described the lugs 24 will seat in the notches 25 formedin the face plate 1 so that the member 17 is retained against rotation relative to the handle 5. As the end 20 of the spring 21 is secured in the face plate 1 and the opposite end 22 is retained in the spindle 6, it w1ll be seen that as the handle 5 is rotated from its normal inoperative position that the spring 21 will be under tension so that when the handle is released the spring will automatically return the handle to its normal inoperative position. The spring 21 in addition to returning the handle to its normal inoperative position retains the member 17 of the escutcheon plate in the position shown in Figure 2 in abutting relationship with the face plate 1.

It will also be seen that as the two escutcheon members 15 and 17 are telescopically mounted relative to each other that they will provide a suitable enclosure for the spring 21 and the spindle 6 and also permit the handle 5 to be mounted at an angle to the face of the face member 1 as is clearly shown in Figure 1.

After the handle 5 has been mounted in the door as heretofore described the nut 9 is adapted to rotate with the spindle 6 so that the same will not unscrew from the spindle and change the relative position of the handle 5 relative to the door. In order that the nut 9 will rotate with the spindle 6, a tool (not shown) can be inserted through the opening formed in the L-shaped member 4 secured to the flange 3 of the face plate 1 and the threads on the spindle 6 peened over so that the nut 9 will be locked in position on the spindle 6.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple and eflicient means for mounting a latch operating handle on a vehicle door and while I have shown one embodiment of my 1. In combination with a door structure having an opening in the side face thereof, a rotatable latch operating handle having a spindle extending into said opening, a nut threaded on said spindle adapted to rotate therewith to constrain said handle against longitudinal movement, telescoping escutcheon members surrounding said spindle exteriorily of said door, lugs on one of said members fitting in recesses in said door to constrain said member against rotation, and further lugs on said member riding in a slot in said spindle to constrain said member against longitudinal movement.

2. In combination with a door structure having an opening in the side facethereof, a rotatable latch operating handle having spindle extending into said opening, telescoping escutcheon members surrounding said spindle exteriorily of said door, a spring surrounding said spindle between said members tending to separate said members, lugs on one of said members fitting in recesses in said door to constrain said member against rotation, a lug on said member adapted to seat in a recess formed in said spindle, said spring being adapted to prevent said last named lug from moving out of said recess in said \spindle.

3. In combination with a door structure having an opening in the side face thereof, a rotatable latch operating handle having a spindle extendinginto said opening, a plurality of parallel slots formed in said spindle extending transversely thereof, a slot formed in said spindle extending longitudinally thereof connecting said transversely extending slots, an escutcheon member positioned on said spindle having a lug formed thereon adapted to seat in either of said transversely extending slots, and spring means for preventing said member from moving out of one of said slots when said lu'g is positioned therein.

4. In combination with a door structure having an opening in'the side face thereof, a rotatable latch operating'handle having a spindle extending into said opening, a nut threaded on said spindle adapted to rotate therewith to constrain said handle against longitudinal movement, escutcheon members surrounding said spindle exteriorily of said door, a spring interposed between said members acting to move said members to extended position, and means on one of said members and on said spindle cooperating to prevent longitudinal movement of said member relative to said spindle.

5. In combination with a door structuremeat/e7 having an opening in the side face thereof, v

a rotatable latch o crating. handle having a spindle extendin into said opening, means members and its opposite end secured to said spindle whereby said spring will return said handle to normal inoperative position and I maintain said escutcheon members in operative osition.

6. n combination with a door structure havin an opening in the side face thereof, a rotata le latch operating handle having a slotted spindle extending into-said opening, means to constrain said handle against longitudinal movement, telescoping escutcheon members surrounding said spindle exteriorily of said door, a coil spring surrounding said spindle within said escutcheon members having one end secured to one of said escutcheon members and its opposite end secured to said spindle whereby said spring will return said handle to normal inoperative position, and a lug on said member riding in the slot in said spindle to limit the rotative movement of said handle. 7

7 In combination with a door structure having an opening in the side face thereof, a rotatable latch operating handle having a slotted spindle extending into said opening, means to constrain said handle against long1- tudinal movement, telescoping escutcheon members surrounding said spindle exteriorily of said door, spring means mounted within said escutcheon members for returning said handle to normal inoperative position and to maintain said members in extended position, and a lug on one of said members riding in the slot in said spindle to limit the rotational movement of sald handle. I

Signed by me at South Bend, Indiana, this 27th day of March 1929.

Planar W. SULLIVAN. 

